Blast furnace probe



Marrch 15, W66 F. KENNEDY BLAST FURNACE PROBE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 4

umw an a WWW 3% w mm .T.\. Q a 0 A IIVI/EA/TOR FRANK KENNEDY F. KENNEDY BLAST FURNACE PROBE Mmmh 115, M966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "Tl ll m1 VE/V rm? FHA NK KENNEDY Attorney w W w tained by some probes are not accurate.

United States Patent 3,240,069 BLAST FURNACE PROBE Frank Kennedy, .Iohnstown, Pa, assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Seat. 4, 1963. Ser. No. 306,469 8 Claims. (Cl. 73-421.5)

This invention relates to a blast furnace probe and more particularly to such a probe for insertion within the stack of an iron producing blast furnace in order to provide information relating to gas and solids distribution so as to permit adjustments of the burden, hot blast temperature, wind volume and the like in order to prevent and/ or correct channeling, scabb'ing and hanging of the burden. Probes have been used for this purpose to a limited extent, both in this country and abroad, but those in use have various disadvantages. Some can take only one temperature and gas sample without repositioning. Others require that the stockline be lowered each time the probe is inserted in or retracted from the furnace. Most of the foreign probes are stationary and must be built into the furnace. This results in very serious maintenance problems. The gas samples and temperature readings ob- In general the probes are expensive to fabricate and maintain. Another difliculty is that the hot gases rising through the furnace causes expansion of the lower surface of the probe when in the furnace with a resultant upward deflection of the probe. This deflection hinders withdrawal of the probe from the furnace.

7 i It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a blast furnaw probe which can obtain temperature readings and gas samples at the same time and which is easily inserted and withdrawn from the furnace while the furnace is in operation.

Another object is to provide such a probe which is relatively light in weight, easy to fabricate, and Which can be readily inserted and withdrawn from the furnace while the furnace is in operation.

Still another object is to provide such a probe in which the temperature measuring stations are so located that a true temperature reading is obtained.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached draw- ;ings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the probe of my invention positioned at a blast furnace;

.' FIGURE 2 is a sectional view showing the forward end of r the probe; FIGURE 2a is a sectional view showing the rearward end of the probe;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of'FIGURE 2;

@FIGURE 4 is a view taken on the line IV--IV of FIG- UREZ;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line V-V of FIG- FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line VIVI of FIG- URE 2a;

it is preferred to use four probes spaced 90 apart around the periphery of the furnace at a vertical location about 7 ft. below the stock line. An opening 6 is provided through the wall 2 and shell 4 and an alloy steel cylindrical liner furnace by various means.

8 is inserted therein. A gate valve 10 is secured to the steel shell 4 around the opening 6 and a flexible seal 12 secured thereto on the side away from the furnace. The flexible seal 12 has a sleeve having an initial diameter slightly smaller than the maximum diameter of the probe but capable of stretching to the maximum diameter so as to form a gas tight seal when the probe 14 is in its innermost position within the blast furnace.

The probe 14 of my invention includes an outer shell 16 made up of a plurality of double extra heavy sections of pipe joined together by eccentric reducers which are welded to the pipe sections as shown. The axes of the pipe sections and reducers are in the same vertical plane but in different horizontal planes so that the top part of the probe is essentially horizontal. Thus, it will be seen that the shell 1-6 has a maximum diameter at one end and is reduced to a minimum diameter at the other end in a plurality of steps, the maximum diameter being such that the shell will be snugly received within the cylindrical liner 8. A cap 18 which substantially closes the leading end of the shell 16 has an axial hole 20 therein for receiving a pipe 22 which is preferably welded to the cap 18. A coupling 24 is welded to the outside of the cap 18 around the opening 20. A tube 26 is threaded into the coupling 24. A sleeve 28 abuts the forward end of tube 26 and is held in place by means of a coupling 30 threaded on the outer end of tube 26. A similar sleeve 31 abuts the rearward end of tube 26. A thermocouple tube 32 passes through the tube 26 and sleeves 28 and 31 with rock wool or other filter material 34 being provided in the space between tubes 26 and 32. Holes 36 are provided through the sleeves 28 and 31 so as to permit passage of blast furnace gas into the tube 26. This structure pro vides a sampling station 38 and is best shown in FIG- URE 9. An angle iron 40 is welded to the cap 18 above the station 38 and ext-ends forwardly beyond the end of station 38. The legs of the angle iron 40 extend downvvardly at an angle of The forward end of the .angle iron 40 is cut on a 45 bias extending downwardly vided at each reducer at the bottom of the probe. The

construction ofeach of the stations 38A, 38B, 38C and 38D is essentially the same as that of sampling station 38. Guard plows 46, 46A, 46B, 46C, 46D, 46B and 46F are welded to the bottom of the shell 16 in the positions shown in FIGURE 1 so as to protect the stations 38A, 38B, 38C and 38D as the probe moves in and out of the burden. These guard plows are made oftwo angle irons 48 and 50 welded to the shell 16 and to each other at the end of their legs as shown in FIG- URE 8 so as to form a square with two corners of the square being in a vertical plane through the longitudinal axis of the probe. In other words, one corner of the square faces forwardly and another corner faces rearwardly. The guards 46 to 46F extend downwardly below the lower end of the adjacent sampling station. The

lowest point of the sampling station 381) is above the lowest point of maximum diameter portion 48 of the probe. A cooling water pipe 52 extends through the shell 16 from the rearward to forward end thereof.

The probe 14 may be moved into and out of the As shown, the rearward end of probe 14 is mounted on a carriage 54 The carriage 54 has wheels 56 which are supported by rails 58 for a movement toward and away from the furnace. The ends of a chain 60 are attached to the top of the carriage 54. The chain 60 passes around an idler sprocket 62 arranged above and between the tracks 58 at the outer end thereof and a drive sprocket 64 arranged at the forward end of the rails 58. The sprocket 64 is driven by motor 66 through a gear reducer 68. This drive arrangement is essentially as shown in my co-pending application Serial No. 89,165, filed February 14, 1961, now Pat. No. 3,130,584.

A Gortite sleeve protector 70 surrounds the probe 14 and has one end attached to the seal 12 and the other end attached to the carriage 54. The rearward end of water pipe 52 is attached to a flexible conduit 72 mounted on the carriage 54. A flexible conduit 74 mounted on the carriage 54 is connected to the inner portion of the shell 16 to receive and discharge the cooling water. Tubes 22, 22A, 22B, 22C and 22D pass from their associated sampling station to the rearward end of the shell 16 and are connected by means of flexible conduits, not shown, to a gas analyzer. Thermocouples 76, 76A, 76B, 76C and 76D pass through their associated tubes 32, 32A, 32B, 32C, 32D to the carriage 54. The thermocouple wires are connected in any suitable manner to a temperature recorder.

The operation of my device is as follows:

When it is desired to obtain temperature readings and flue gas analyses gate valve is opened and the motor 66 operated to cause the carriage 54 to move inwardly through the furnace burden. When the probe 14 reaches its innermost position the flexible seal 12 will be in tight sealing engagement with the maximum diameter portion 48 of probe 14. The sleeve protector 70 will also be compressed and any blast furnace gas that might escape through the seal 12 will be confined within the sleeve protector 70. Water is passed through the tube 52 to the innermost portion of the shell 16 and will return within the shell 16 to the rearward end thereof where it will be discharged through conduit 74. As the probe moves inwardly through the furnace burden the plow guards 40, 46, 46B, 46D and 46F will protect the sampling stations 38 to 38D from damage. As the probe moves outwardly the plow guards 46A, 460 and 46E will protect the stations 38A, 38B and 38C from damage. The maximum diameter portion 48 of the probe will protect the station 38D from damage. When in sampling position the gas from the blast furnace will pass into the sampling stations through the filter 34 into the sampling tubes 22 to 22D and hence to the gas analyzer. The temperature of the gas will also be measured. It will be seen that the gas passes over the hot junction of the thermocouples prior to contacting the cool walls of the probe 20 so that true temperature readings are obtained. After the samples are taken and it is desired to retract the probe the motor 66 is rotated in the opposite direction so as to cause the probe 14 to move outwardly. When the plow guard 44 passes the valve 10, the valve 10 is closed to prevent flow of gases from the furnace.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for determining conditions at a plurality of spaced points within a blast furnace comprising an outer shell having a plurality of hollow cylindrical portions decreasing in diameter from the outer end thereof, a connection between adjacent cylindrical portions, the axes of said cylindrical portions being in the same vertical plane but in different horizontal planes so that the top of the shell is substantially straight, means closing the forward end of said shell, a sampling station attached to and extending forwardly from the forward end of said shell, a guard plow attached to and extending forwardly from the forward end of said shell above said sampling station, said guard plow having a portion at the outer end thereof extending downwardly to the level of said sampling station, a sampling station attached to and extending forwardly from said shell at each of a plurality of said connections, a plurality of guard plows attached to and extending downwardly from said shell one adjacent each of said last named sampling stations on each side thereof, and tubes extending from each of said sampling stations through said shell to the rearward end thereof.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each of said sampling stations includes an outer tube attached to said shell with its outer end open to receive furnace gases, and an inner tube for receiving thermocouple wires.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first named guard plow includes an angle iron fastened to the shell with its legs extending downwardly at an angle of 45 and a second angle iron having one leg attached to the forward end of said first named angle iron and extending downwardly and rearwardly and its other leg attached to the first named angle iron in spaced relationship with said one leg and extending downwardly and forwardly, and each of said plurality of guard plows including two angles attached to said shell with the ends of the legs of one against the ends of the legs of the other to form a hollow rectangle, two corners of each rectangle being substantially in the same vertical plane as the axes of the said hollow cylinders.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which each of said sampling stations includes an outer tube attached to said shell with its outer end open to receive furnace gases, and an inner tube for receiving thermocouple wires.

5. Apparatus for determining conditions at a plurality of spaced points within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe, a guide through the wall of said blast furnace, a valve on the exit side of said guide, a flexible seal on the exit side of said valve, a carriage supporting the outer end of said probe, means for moving said carriage and probe through said guide and seal into said furnace, and a sleeve protector surrounding said probe between said seal and carriage, said probe including an outer shell having a plurality of hollow cylindrical portions decreasing in diameter from the carriage end thereof, a connection between adjacent cylindrical portions, the axes of said cylindrical portions being in the same vertical plane but in different horizontal planes so that the top of the shell is substantially straight, means closing the forward end of said shell, a cooling water inlet pipe extending within said shell from the carriage end thereof and terminating short of the forward end thereof, a sampling station attached to and extending forwardly from the forward end of said shell, a guard plow attached to and extending forwardly from the forward end of said shell above said sampling station, said guard plow having a portion at the outer end thereof extending downwardly to the level of said sampling station, a sampling station attached to and extending forwardly from said shell at each of said connections, a plurality of guard plows attached to and extending downwardly from said shell one adjacent each of said last named sampling stations on the side thereof toward the forward end of said probe and one adjacent the rearward end of each of said last named sampling stations except the most rearward one, and tubes extending from each of said sampling stations through said shell to the rearward end thereof.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which each of said sampling stations includes an outer tube attached to said shell with its outer end open to receive furnace gases, and an inner tube for receiving thermocouple wires.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the first named guard plow includes an angle iron fastened to the shell with its legs extending downwardly at an angle of 45 and a second angle iron having one leg attached to the forward end of said first named angle iron and extending downwardly and rearwardly and its other leg attached to the first named angle iron in spaced relationship with said one leg and extending downwardly and forwardly, and each of said plurality of guard plows including two angles attached to said shell with the ends of the legs of one against the ends of the legs of the other to form a hollow rectangle, two corners of each rectangle being substantially in the same vertical plane as the axes of the said hollow cylinders.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which each of said sampling stations includes an outer tube attached to said shell with its outer end open to receive furnace gases, and an inner tube for receiving thermocouple wires.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS R. PRINCE, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING CONDITIONS AT A PLURALITY OF SPACED POINTS WITHIN A BLAST FURNACE COMPRISING AN OUTER SHELL HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL PORTIONS DECREASING IN DIAMETER FROM THE OUTER END THEREOF, A CONNECTION BETWEEN ADJACENT CYLINDRICAL PORTIONS, THE AXES OF SAID CYLINDRICAL PORTIONS BEING IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE BUT IN DIFFERENT HORIZONTAL PLANES SO THAT THE TOP OF THE SHELL IS SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGTH, MEANS CLOSING THE FORWARD END OF SAID SHELL, A SAMPLING STATION ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE FORWARD END OF SAID SHELL, A GUARD PLOW ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE FORWARD END OF SAID SHELL ABOVE SAID 